Stoppage for an Injury/Illness of a player of Blood
The Umpires hold time for injury/illness following a verifiable request by an on-court player or without a request in the event there is an obvious and/or serious injury. A Primary Carer may request the umpires to hold time to facilitate a substitution of any on court player due to suspected concussion. The Umpires hold time if they notice any player who has an open wound or who is actively bleeding (including blood-stained clothing).
In all circumstances above, the player concerned must leave the court within 30 seconds and receive any treatment off the court. The timekeepers advise the umpires when 10 seconds remain.
Only Primary Carers are permitted on court to assess a player’s medical condition. They may ask for extra assistance if required.
The Umpire may call Umpires Time if the player concerned cannot be removed from the court safely within 30 seconds. The scorer’s bench must be notified of umpires time. Umpires may also authorise other persons to assist the player to leave the court.
Any other player with blood on their body or clothing who is not actively bleeding may leave the field of play to have this cleaned within the time allowed for the stoppage by the Umpires without the need to be substituted. However, any clothing that becomes blood-stained must be replaced within the time allowed for the stoppage by the umpires and this may occur away from the playing enclosure. If there is blood on the ball it should be swapped and any blood on the court must be cleaned before play restarts.
During the stoppage both teams may make substitutions and/or team changes, provided these are completed within the time allowed for the stoppage by the umpires. In no substitution is made for the injured/ill player, or for a player who has an open wound or who is actively bleeding (including blood stained clothing), play may resume with the position left vacant. If the player is the Centre and no substitution is made, one player must move to play as Centre to allow the match to continue.
If the position has been left vacant and play has resumed any player can be substituted using the Rolling Substitution Rule.
Stoppage for Emergencies
The Umpires may hold time or extend an interval in the event of the serious injury/illness of a player, injury/illness of a match official or technical official, an issue with the court, goalposts or ball, the weather or technical equipment or in other extreme circumstances.
The umpire, in conjunction with the Court Supervisor decide the length of such a stoppage and ensure play restarts as soon as possible.
If required, the Court Supervisor, in conjunction with the Umpires, may abandon a match if the safety of players and/or officials is considered to be at risk.
